Italy Vs Uruguay, Group D - Live Score

TUESDAY 24TH JUNE - 9:30PM (LOCAL) | ESTADIO DAS DUNAS, NATAL

Italy: The Dark Horse of the World Cup, Italy remains to be the side to watch out for in the tournament. Cesare Prandelli would like his side to win the coveted trophy for their inspiring captain Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo, who are likely making their last world cup appearance. Four times world cup winning champions, Italy also boast of young talents like Marco Verratti and Mario Balotelli.

Uruguay: Ranked seventh, Uruguay has high hopes at the FIFA World Cup 2014. Twice world cup winners in 1930 and 1950 respectively, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez would be keen to get his side back in the running back for the World Cup trophy. Placing safe bets on strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Uruguay would look forward to ensuring a great run at the World Cup. They should be motivated by the status Giants of Football once given to them a few decades back.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches Played: 9

Italy 2 Wins, Uruguay 3 Wins, 4 Draws

Commentary

(171 Mins)

Uruguay are keeping the ball well up front as the clock ticks down.

(170 Mins)

Muslera has been booked for time-wasting.

(169 Mins)

The Uruguayans celebrate with their supporters after scoring the goal that could grant them qualification.

(169 Mins)

There will be five minutes of added time.

(167 Mins)

The Italians seem to have run out of steam now.

(167 Mins)

The Italians have only two minutes to get back into this game. Will they pull off a miracle?

(166 Mins)

The ball bounces off the back of Godin before heading into the net.

(165 Mins)

Italy are gambling now coming forward with most of their men and leaving themselves exposed at the back. They need a last-minute goal to qualify for the last 16.

(163 Mins)

Uruguay is breaking away with three men against two, but De Sciglio makes a perfectly-timed challenge to clear the ball and avert the danger.

(162 Mins)

Chiellini claims he has been bitten by Suarez. The referee did not take any action.

(160 Mins)

Uruguay take the lead and Italy are on the verge of going out of the World Cup. On a corner kick the ball bounces off the back of Godin ad finds its way into the back of the net

(159 Mins)

ITALY 0 - 1 URUGUAY (Godin)

(157 Mins)

The game has stopped again after a clash between Chiellini and Suarez. It appears that Suarez tried to head-butt the Italian defender and then Chiellini swung an arm at him.

(157 Mins)

Ramirez comes off the bench to replace Cristian Rodriguez

(156 Mins)

De Sciglio has been booked for an harsh challenge.

(155 Mins)

The game is mostly played in the Italian half now as Uruguay are desperately trying to find a crucial goal.

(154 Mins)

Thiago Motta replaces Verratti after the PSG midfielder picked up an injury. Its Italys third and final substitution.

(153 Mins)

Verratti is injured and is being stretchered off the pitch. He is visibly distraught and asking for a substitution.

(152 Mins)

Despite the dismissal, the Italians have not lost their nerves. They are trying to retain a good share of the possession as the clock ticks down.

(150 Mins)

Cassano is brought on to replace Immobile. The young striker is visibly tired as he walks off the pitch.

(149 Mins)

Uruguay are coming forward strongly now that Italy are down to ten Italy. The Azzurri are desperately trying to defend with discipline and break away on the counter attack.

(148 Mins)

Buffon makes a fantastic save to keep Italy afloat.

(146 Mins)

We are halfway through the second half and it is still goalless. A draw will see Italy through to the knockout stages in second place with Costa Rica topping the group.

(144 Mins)

CLOSE. Suarez bursts into the Italian area and thumps a shot with the outside of his foot. Buffon pulls of a spectacular diving save to push the ball away.

(142 Mins)

Marchisio is puzzled as the referee brandishes the red card at him. The Italians felt it was an unfair dismissal and protested strongly.

(141 Mins)

Tabarez brings on more attacking power. Stuani comes on to replace Pereira.

(141 Mins)

Will Italy now have to adopt a different strategy to cling on to this result?

(139 Mins)

It was a rather reckless tackle that earned him a red card. Marchisio planted his studs into the calf of Arevalo after losing touch of the ball.

(138 Mins)

Unbelievable. Marchisio is sent off and Italy are down to 10 men. Could this be the turning point of the game?

(136 Mins)

Italy are playing a slightly dangerous game here. They are not hiding the fact that they are more than happy to come away with a draw, but one single chance for Uruguay could prove fatal.

(135 Mins)

Cavani goes down in the box after being man-handled by Chiellini.

(134 Mins)

Immobile tries to break into the box, but he is crowded out by three Uruguayan defenders and eventually loses control of the ball. Some support from his teammates could have come in handy.

(132 Mins)

Buffon leaps high to block a cross. The Uruguayans have not done much to trouble him so far.

(129 Mins)

Cavani appeals for a penalty after making contact with Bonucci in the box. The referee is very dismissive and waves to play on.

(126 Mins)

The game has stopped after Caceres violently slammed his head against the ground. Luckily, he is conscious and seems likely to recover.

(125 Mins)

Arevalo is booked 25 seconds into the second half.

(124 Mins)

We are back underway.

(124 Mins)

Substitution for Uruguay. Maxi Pereira comes on for Lodeiro.

(122 Mins)

Cesare Prandelli makes the first change of the afternoon. Somehow unexpectedly, Mario Balotelli is replaced by Marco Parolo. The Italian striker might have picked up an injury and this can be seen as a precautionary move.

(120 Mins)

Italy are unbeaten in their last 10 World Cup matches facing South American teams (W4 D6). A similar outcome in todays match will see them through to the next round.

(116 Mins)

Oscar Tabarez was Uruguayâ€™s coach at the Italy â€™90 World Cup where these two sides faced each other and the hosts snatched a 2-0 victory.

(115 Mins)

Cesare Prandelli might be relatively happy with the result as a draw will see Italy progress to the knockout stages.

(112 Mins)

Rough tackles, rather than quality football, marked the first 45 minutes. The two sides have committed a whopping 24 fouls (13 for Italy and 11 for Uruguay).

(108 Mins)

It has been a rather uneventful first half, which Italy have marginally dominated. The Azzurri have enjoyed most of the possession (58% v 42%) while maintaining discipline and composure at the back. The Uruguayans have lacked the necessary urgency to break down a solid Italian backline and find a crucial opening goal.

(107 Mins)

HALF-TIME - Italy 0 - 0 Uruguay

(106 Mins)

Suarez curls a cross into the box , but the ball is cleared away by the Italian defence before anyone can head it past Buffon.

(105 Mins)

There will be two minutes of added time.

(105 Mins)

Uruguay have a great opportunity with a free kick that Suarez is ready to whip in.

(103 Mins)

The much-feared Luis Suarez has been successfully stifled by the Italian backline so far. He needs to create something magic if he wants to take Uruguay in front.

(100 Mins)

Italy start a fast counter-attack stringing together a series of precise passes to launch Immobile down the right hand flank. The Borussia Dortmund striker tries to skip past Godin, but is easily dispossessed of the ball.

(97 Mins)

Supporters do not seem to be impressed by the quality level of this first half and are starting to boo the players on the pitch.

(95 Mins)

The Uruguayans are starting to venture into Italys half more often now. Still no shots on target though.

(92 Mins)

Suarez plays a lovely one-two with Lodeiro before firing a shot from a promising position. Buffon senses danger and comes off the line to block the shot with a diving save.

(91 Mins)

We are yet to see a serious scoring chance, but theres no shortage of aggressiveness on the pitch. Here Juventus club-mates Caceres and Pirlo battle it out to gain possession.

(89 Mins)

De Sciglio curls in a cross that reaches Immobile in the box, courtesy of a lucky deflection. The striker attempts an half-volley, but he sends the ball wide of the left post.

(87 Mins)

This is the challenge that earned Balotelli the first yellow card of the match.

(85 Mins)

Marchisio releases a powerful strike 25 off the goal, but the ball is deflected off by an Uruguayan defender for a throw-in. There has not been any shot on target in the first 25 minutes.

(82 Mins)

Mario Balotelli is the first man to go into the referees book. If Italy go through to the next stages, he will miss the next match. What a blow for the Italians.

(81 Mins)

Both sides have settled down and this is turning into a rather slow game. Italy have most of the possession, but a series of passing errors are undermining their attacking efforts.

(78 Mins)

The Uruguayan defenders attempt to find Suarez up front with long passes largely by-passing their midfield. It has not quite worked out for them so far as the Italian backline has been very discipline, but the striker will be ready to seize on any slip of attention.

(76 Mins)

The Uruguayans do not seem to have great urgency at the moment, despite knowing that only a win will see them through to the last 16.

(74 Mins)

A man of two faces. Mario Balotelli helped Italy to a 2-1 victory over England with a stunning header, but then gave a lacklustre performance in the Azzurris second game. What kind of impact will he have today?

(72 Mins)

Pirlo goes for goal from over 35 metres on a free kick. It is not the strongest of strikes but Muslera prefers to tip the ball over the bar.

(71 Mins)

Pirlo whips in a curling free kick, but the ball is comfortably headed away by an Uruguayan defender.

(70 Mins)

The Italians are trying to come forward and crowd the opposition defence. Now they have a free kick in a promising position. Pirlo is lining up to take it.

(67 Mins)

Chiellini is lying on the ground in serious pain after being hit on the face. It did not appear to be a malicious foul.

(66 Mins)

We have seen a few hefty challenges already. Players on both sides do not seem to be holding anything back in this all-important match.

(64 Mins)

Italy have started on the front foot, keeping most of the ball and trying to break down the opposition with some clever passing. Uruguay are sitting a bit deep at the moment hoping to sting the Azzurri on the counter attack.

(62 Mins)

Balotelli charges through two Uruguayan midfielders before he is dispossessed of the ball. He believes hes been fouled, but the referee waves to play on.

(62 Mins)

Italy have played their two matches in much higher temperatures than the ones faced by the Uruguayan players (an average of 30C for the Azzurri v an average of 21C for the South Americans). Theres been a lot of debate about Italys struggles to recover after their game against England and well see if the heat can be a deciding factor in Natal today.

(60 Mins)

Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez blows his whistle to get this game underway.

(58 Mins)

The national anthems have been played and hands have been shaken. We are just moments away from kick-off.

(55 Mins)

The last time Italy and Uruguay faced each other was at last summers Confederations Cup. The match finished 2-2 after extra-time and then the Azzurri went to to clinch the third spot on penalties.

(54 Mins)

The tension is rising inside the Estadio Das Dunas in Natal as the teams head out onto the pitch led by their captains.

(52 Mins)

It is a winner-takes-all match deciding who will join Costa Rica in the next stages. A draw will be enough for Italy as a superior goal difference will see the Azzurri through to the last 16. Itâ€™s a must-win match for Uruguay, as they will need all three point to overtake Italy and progress to the knockout stages.

(51 Mins)

The hopes of one nation will be largely resting on this man. Having recovered from a knee surgery that ruled him out of the opening game, the talismanic striker netted two goals to lead Uruguay to victory over England. Will he repeat himself today?

(50 Mins)

ITALY - Team news: Coach Cesare Prandelli has given in to the pressing calls for Ciro Immobile to start and will field the young striker alongside Mario Balotelli up front. As a consequence, he has been forced to abandon the well-oiled 4-1-4-1 formation we have seen in the two previous matches to switch for a 3-5-2 set-up. Daniele De Rossi has been ruled out of todayâ€™s game after picking up a calf injury in the Costa Rica defeat.